Thanks SRattle and David Spiegelthal for your advice.
I presume that that you are talking about the G4M's as being from a nameless Chinese factory, and not the Ridenours? If so, then I guess I will start trying to save up the extra for the Ridenour.
For what it's worth, I'm not a great expert by any means - more of a percussionist - but will definitely want to be recording with it, and might just end up using it live in a band, amongst other clutter that I play, if I'm lucky.